The invention relates to a releasable hinge assembly for an armored military vehicle and the like which allows the door of the vehicle to be released and completely removed under emergency conditions.
Although the focus of this application is primarily on heavy duty latching systems and components that are particularly well suited for use with the heavy doors of armored military vehicles (including latches, latch operating handles and other components capable of being used in “normal” and “emergency” modes to provide access, entry, egress and rescue), much of what is disclosed herein also can be used to augment, improve and enhance the capability, durability and performance of lighter duty hardware systems and components used in a wide variety of other applications. Likewise, although the present application discloses an arrangement of linkages, connections, and actuators that can retract and allow the door to be jettisoned in response to emergency and hazardous situations, differently configured operating handles, many of the improvements, enhancements and advancements described herein also can be used to upgrade the capabilities and to lengthen the service lives of other closure-control systems and lighter-duty hardware components.
With the advent of improvised explosive devices (IED) and other weapons of destruction, used against coalition military forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas of conflict, the need to upgrade tactical military vehicles and other armored vehicles has been continuing. Military armored vehicles have been provided with heavier armor and new designs which have lessened the effect of an IED explosion to the vehicle, and protect the occupants. However, even with the new designs and construction, the vehicle and doors can be damaged to the extent that the occupants cannot open the door. In this case, the vehicle can be set on fire and the occupants cannot escape, or an explosive device may explode while the vehicle is on a bridge, throwing the vehicle into the water. The door of the vehicle typically cannot be opened underwater due to its large weight e.g., 400 pounds leaving the occupants unable to escape. Therefore the need of providing an armored vehicle door which can be rapidly and reliably jettisoned from the vehicle still exists.
Doors for armored vehicles, industrial vehicle cabs, and aircraft, as well as other vehicles, must be jettisoned from their frames rapidly and easily to provide maximum opening for the quick exiting of occupants in emergencies. Typically armored vehicle doors weigh up to four hundred pounds making them difficult to open in certain hazardous situations. It has been found if the door can be released from the pivotal hinge and the door frame, the occupants have a better chance of escaping. Prior vehicle and aircraft hinges which may be released have been provided, for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,614,117 B2, 7,938,479 B2, 8,465,062 B2, 4,102,011, 1,896,203, and published application US2012/0000047, all disclose various arrangements for releasing the hinge of doors in various applications. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,074,611, 7,992,924, and 4,235,047 disclose aspects of armored vehicles and doors. However, doors for aircraft utilize assemblies that are complicated and foreign to armored vehicle doors. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a releasable door hinge for an armored vehicle so that the door may be reliably jettisoned for escape in hazardous and emergency situations.